2 Comments

I must say this whole thing about Second Life flummoxes me.

Here’s why: I don’t understand (at least not yet), how, with the diversity that this particular foundational reality offers (i.e., the reality that pays for the Second Life artifical reality to exist) -- how can it be enticing to spend all this time on what amounts to a diversion that still requires the foundational reality to exist?

I’m seeking to understand why is something like Second Life so enticing that it needs its own economy?

That advertisers are seriously considering advertising in this artificial reality in order to somehow make money back in the foundational reality?

And yet I’m most troubled by the question no one seems to be asking about the energy expenditure and ROI of spending hours in these literally un-real environments.

The Big Un-Answered Question: with the amount of energy and time it takes to create, exist, and function in there -- couldn't these 7M+ Second Lifers be making their foundational realities so rich and vibrant, that they wouldn't need to escape to an idealized, functionally unreal(istic) one?

I think we share a number of the same curiousities when it comes to Second Life. Here are some of my thoughts on yours.

From what I've seen, the economy in it is all about real-estate and marketing. In a way, I think it has to have its own economy because it's a closed environment. I'm not sure why Second Life has own currency, my only guesses being either stickiness and/or security.

As far as the advertising model goes, here's my 2 cents worth via a hypothetical situation. If you and I were working on a project together and we made some kind of mind map within Second Life (I have to think it's possible), we could walk through it with our avatars. Not so different from a GoToMeeting in what it gets you, except I could watch your avatar make changes to the project map. Maybe we would notice a virtual plane flying along with a banner ad for the Pontiac G6 behind it. At that point, maybe we test drive the G6 Second Life object and I like it so much I buy it in the real world. I think that's where the value of the 3D would come into play to create a deeper marketing experience.

The energy and ROI question I share and would love to see an answer to. I've heard a good number of businesses and organizations have setup shop in Second Life to run simulations, so serious activity appears to be taking shape.